News broke out last night that the Los Angeles Lakers acquired center Dwight Howard, and fans around the world celebrated. The Lakers got themselves the best center in the NBA and everyone put the Lakers as the title favorites for the 2012-13 season. However, aside from the happiness that the trade brought, fans had to say goodbye to the promising young center Andrew Bynum.
Bynum was drafted with the tenth overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft and spent his entire seven seasons with the Lakers. The Lakers got Bynum as a young high school player, and saw him emerge as an elite NBA center. Los Angeles Lakers General Manger Mitch Kupchak addressed the departure of the center in a press release.
“We’d like to thank Andrew for all he’s done for the team and the organization,” said Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak. “Andrew has been with us since we drafted him at seventeen years old and over the last seven years we have watched him develop into an All-Star player who has helped the team win two NBA Championships. He’s a special talent with a bright future. We appreciate all of his contributions and wish him well for the remainder of his career.”
With the Lakers Bynum averaged 11.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. However, Bynum was named an All-Star for the first time in 2012 and established his name by averaging 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds last season.
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Bynum helped the Lakers win two consecutive titles in 2009 and 2010, and was a solid piece of the puzzle. He will be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come and fans will enjoy his battles with the newest Laker center, Dwight Howard.
